The present invention relates generally to the field of article dispensers and more particularly is directed to a pill dispenser suitable to deliver a plurality of different size pills within a limited area.
Prior workers in the art have developed various types of article dispensers, most of which have been particularly designed to dispense similar articles one at a time upon operation of a reciprocating mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,026 discloses a dispensing apparatus suitable to convey gaskets one at a time, upon each reciprocation of a sliding member. Similarly, matches can be delivered one at a time in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,173,069 upon reciprocation of a suitable delivering member. A similar apparatus is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,218 wherein an inclined hopper is illustrated holding a plurality of cigarettes wherein the device includes a drawer which is reciprocal below the hopper to deliver one cigarette upon each reciprocation of the drawer.
While the prior art devices known are generally suitable to deliver objects of known size for which the apparatus can be predesigned, such prior art devices cannot be readily adjusted to accommodate articles of different sizes or different configurations. Additionally, the prior art dispensers of which we are aware cannot be readily arranged to dispense, in a limited size area, a plurality of similar but dimensionally different objects. For example, pills, capsules or other small articles of various size, contents and configurations.